V
ACATIONS ARE
wondrous things;
precious days that
allow you to check out
of your everyday
routine and reset your
body and mind. ‘Most people would
agree that holidays are important, but
what they mean to us evolves as we
grow older,’ says Miriam Akhtar,
positive psychologist and author of
The Little Book of Happiness (£ 7.9 9,
Octopus). ‘As children, a holiday is a
time for hedonism, adventure and
burning off energy. During your
middle years, however, your search for
deeper meaning heightens and you
look for more meaningful travel. You
tend to seek destinations that will not
only satisfy your need for indulgence
but also broaden your horizons.
‘Of course, holidays mean different
things to different people but the type
of traveller you are can determine the
type of trip you should choose,’
explains Miriam.
Follow our quick quiz to fi nd out
your travel personality and what this
means for your next break away.THE MEANING OF
HOLIDAYS
As adults, holidays need to satisfy
three dimensions of wellbeing:1
SOCIaL Time to bond with your
partner or family, to share
experiences with them, create
memories and nurture relationships.2
ECOnOMIC A feeling that your
time and money is being spent on
something meaningful; something
with importance that will promote
personal growth.3
HEDOnIStIC The opportunity to
have fun, to indulge and to play
and frolic like you did as a child.During our middle
years, we often look
for holidays with
more meaning that
also broaden
our horizons.
WORDS: LARISSA CHAPMAN. PHOTOGRAPHS: SHUTTERSTOCK.
My ideal holiday consists of sitting by the pool for
two weeks without having to lift a fi nger.I have to
do weeks
of research
before I go
away.I love sampling
unusual and exotic
foods when I’m on
holiday.StaRt
Sign up to our newsletter at topsante.co.uk TopSanté 69HEALTHY HOLIDAY SPECIALI love to visit
f a r - u n g
destinations and
venture off the
beaten track.I tend to get
bored easily and
always need
plenty to do.I buy travel
insurance at the
last minute and
always opt for the
cheapest.I often feel
quite anxious
before I go
away.I like to visit tried, tested
and recommended places or
somewhere I have been
before.I love to throw myself
into the local culture.I love learning and keeping my brain active, even
when I’m away on holiday.I seek out
restaurants
with food I
know I like.I love to try new
and local modes of
transport and ways
of travel when I’m
away.I like to kick
back and
take it easy
on holiday.travel curious travel cau tious
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